Pneumatic valve



Jan. 11, 1927' E, W. GENT PNEUMATIC VALVE Filgd Dec. 22. 1923 Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR WALTER GENT, OE MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

PNEUMATIC VALVE.

Application filed December 22, 1923. Serial No. 682,213.

T his invention relates to pneumatic valves and more particularly to a sending valve for pneumatic tube distributing systems.

It often happens that operators place pins, paper clips, piecesof pencils, pencil leads and other small articles on the switchboard key shelf and in moving their arms about accidentally cause such articles tobe brushed into the sending valve of the pneumatic ticket distributing system, with the result that oftentimes a blockade is established, in the pneumatic tubes.

One feature of this invention, is means which will prevent miscellaneous small articles from entering the pneumatic tube through the valve. Y

Another feature of the invention is a valve door which may be easily and quickly removed and replaced when the occasion arises.

Another feature of this invention is a hinged closure or valve door constructed and arranged to be operated by and through the movement of the operators fingers during the insertion of a ticket into the valve. As the operator slides a ticket downwardly over the chute plate with her finger tips, her knuckles come in contact with the door of the valve and move it upwardly.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal perspective view of the valve as it would appear when mounted on a switchboard key shelf and attached to a pneumatic tube.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the valve, the heavy line indicating the position of a ticket partially inserted in that tube.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the valve door and hinge with a paper clip attached to the hinge to show the manner in which the door hinge may be unlocked. The hinge is shown removed from the pivot pin.

Fig. l shows the hinge locked on the pivot pin, the dotted lines indicating the position of the pivot pin around which the hinge moves when operated.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description.

In Fig. l, three sides 10, 11 and l2 of the valve box A, protrude above the switchboard key shelf 13. It is, therefore, obvious that any small articles lying on the shelf 13 may be moved about without falling into the 'il valve box from the sides 10, ll and 12. The front side or end 14 of the valve is flush with the shelf 13 and small artic-'ies might be accdenta ly brushed into the box. n order to overcome this difficulty, two openings 16 have been placed close together at the top of the chut-e plate to divert any objects which accidentally-l enter at the end where the ticket is inserted, such objects falling clear of the chute through these openings. F 5 shows moreclearly the structure of the upper part of the chute and the openings 16.

vlnaccordance with another feature of the invention, the valve door is pivoted on pin by means of hinge`33 and is opened, for the purpose of inserting a ticket into the tube', bypressing against the finger plate 40.

A shouldered stud 26 is rigidly fastened to the door 30 and extends through an opening 43 in the lock plate 23 which hole is slightly larger than the stud to permit a small lateral movement of the plate when lifted which will be later explained.

A projection or lug 22, forming a part of the lock plate 23, extends upwardly therefrom and acts as a stop member of the door, as shown in Fig. 2, that is, acts to prevent the door from being opened more than a predetermined amount by reason of its striking against the end wall of the valve box, as is obvious from an inspection of the drawing. Rigidly fastened to the door 30 and forming a part thereof, is the hinge 33 which is slotted its entire length as at 34 sulliciently to permit it being slipped over the pivot pin 35. The midportion of hinge 33 is cut out to permit knuckle 31, forming a part of the lock plate 23, to lit therein. Knuckle 31 is also slotted as at 44. It will be noted, however,that the slot 34 in the hinge and the slot 411 in the knuckle are shown out of alignment sufficiently so that the lock plate 23 and the knuckle 31 must be lifted against the pressure of spring 25 to permit the hinge 33 to be slipped over the pivot pin 35 as shown in Fig. 3. The lock plate and knuckle can be lifted for this purpose in any convenient manner as, for example, by placing a hook 20 bent from a wire paper clip through the opening 2l in the stop member 22.

When the lifting pressure is released from the lock plate, the knuckle is forced downward under the pressure of spring 25 and locks the pivot pin within the hinge slot 34.

The lopening 43 in the lock plate is made larger than the stud to permit a slight lat-Y eralV movement of the plate when it is lifted, occasioned by the fact that it pivots around its edge on the opposite side of the stud from the stop member where the lifting force is applied.

The tickets are inserted into the valve with the short flap up so that as the 'operators fingers resting on the ticket come in contact with the valve door element 40, such door will be opened and the air rushing in to the partial vacuum of the tube will tend to open the flap of the ticket and throw it into the tube. As the ticket travels forward, the operator withdraws her lingers and allows the door to close.

lVhat is claimed is:

l. ln combination, a switchboard key shelf and a pneumatic tube sending terminal mounted therein, said terminal comprising a rectangular box having three of its sides elevated above the level of said key shelf and the fourth side flush therewith, said box enclosing a chute plate inclined downward from the flush side of said box and having openings therein near its upper end to divert small articles which may be brushed thereon from said key shelf.

2. In combinati-on a shelf and a pneumatic tube sending terminal mounted therein, said terminal comprising a rectangular box having three of its sides elevated above the level of said shelf, and the fourth side flush therewith, said box enclosing a chute plate inclined downward from the flush side of said box and having openings therein near its upper end to divert small articles which may be brushed thereon from said shelf, and a hinged closure for said box mounted in the path of an operators fingers at the lower end of said chute plate and arranged to be operated by and through the movement of an operators fingers during the insertion of a ticket into said terminal.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of December A. D.,

EDGAR VALTER GENT. 

